Zirik Pahl
}} |} Zirik "Quintas" (or "Quinn") Pahl is the primary antagonist in the Rayzur's Edge Audio fan audio drama Dreamscape, the second episode in the Star Wars: Anthology series. Biography Zirik Pahl was a Dark Jedi in the days half a century before the Battle of Yavin. His wife, too, was a Dark Jedi, Yoranda Pahl. Together with three Dark Jedi companions, the Pahls lived without rules or consequence among the worlds of the Inner Rim for several years. Eventually, though, constant pursuit by Republic authorities, coupled with the growing feeling that their time was running out, led the five Dark Jedi to leave the Inner Rim and their darker lifestyle to find a new world on which to settle, to escape from the eyes of the Republic and live by their own life philosophy, free of distraction and persecution. After three years of moving from world to world, these Dark Jedi nomads finally came to the planet Vorash, a feudal planet of lush jungles. Rather than being forced offworld or otherwise rejected by the people of Vorash, as they had been on other planets, the five were asked by the ruling Noble Council to assist in wiping out a small group of the populace’s “heroes,” who were leading anti-governmental activities. However, upon venturing out into the public to seek out these targets, the Dark Jedi were accepted by the populace as potential saviors. The Noble Council had become corrupt over the years, and the population had become little more than a glorified slave labor force. The people were willing to back the Dark Jedi and follow their leadership, if only the five visitors would remove the Noble Council and its oblivious Jedi advisor from the picture. Thus it came to pass that five Dark Jedi, the villains of the galaxy, became the liberators of Vorash. In a daring raid in broad daylight, the Pahls and their comrades assassinated the entire Noble Council and the Jedi advisor (who fell at Yoranda’s own hand). The people rejoiced, and for a time, all was well. Several months later, however, the Jedi finally retaliated for the coup on Vorash and the death of their Jedi brother. A team of Jedi descended upon Vorash’s Dark Jedi rulers, killing four of them, leaving only Zirik alive. The Jedi had no idea that Yoranda had been pregnant upon their arrival on Vorash and had recently given birth to Zirik’s son, Harran Pahl. It was while spiriting Harran away that Zirik was able to escape the Jedi onslaught. Vengeance, however, came quickly, as Zirik returned to kill the Jedi team, drawing upon the Dark Side as never before. In the wake of the confrontation, Zirik buried the bodies of his comrades, including his beloved Yoranda, and took a new name. He began to call himself “Quintas” (“one of five”), often shortened to “Quinn,” in honor of how he and the others first arrived on the world as a quintet. With the Jedi threat over, Quinn ruled Vorash alone, never wavering from his goal of making the world the best possible place to raise his son and for other fathers and mothers to raise their children. His love for his wife had truly separated him from the Dark Side, but not his belief that the Jedi philosophy and way of life were also perversions of the true nature of the Force. Four years after the deaths of Yoranda and the others, Quinn was again confronted by a Jedi. The Jedi Knight Kai Ta’ralyn had come to Vorash to confront Quinn, determine if he posed a threat, and, presumably, return him to Coruscant to face the Jedi Council. Rather than returning, Quinn pulled Kai into a realm between the conscious mind and the will of the Force, known as the “Dreamscape.” Within it, he forced Kai to grapple with the concepts of justice, deterrence, and other avenues of logic that were both unlearned by Jedi students and inescapable to anyone with a bit of sense. After the confrontation in the mental realm, Quinn introduced Kai to Harran, showing Kai that he was now simply a man and a father. Vorash was his home now, and he would die there if necessary, but he would not leave the only home his son had ever known. Taking Quinn’s lightsaber, Kai left Quinn and Harran to their life together. Zirik Pahl was no longer a threat to anyone. Zirik died five months before the Battle of Endor and was succeeded as ruler of Vorash by his only son, Harran. Sources *''Rayzur's Edge Audio Guidebook'' Appearances *''Anthology #2: "Dreamscape"'' Behind the Scenes * Zirik "Quintas" Pahl was created by Nathan P. Butler, utilizing a concept created in discussions with Pete Dixon. * Zirik is played by Michael Haspil, who had previously played the role of Jivs Korus in Second Strike. Haspil would later go on to play the roles of Nolan and Channus Brightstormer in two other episodes of Anthology (The Mob and Addiction, respectively), along with the role of Jedi Master Natavon Kova in the Rayzur's Edge Audio / Ear Candy audio drama Nothing Changes. * His name bears multiple references and meanings. "Zirik" is a play on the pronunciation of the real-world city of Zurich, Switzerland, whereas his last name "Pahl," refers to him "casting a pall" on Kai's faith in Jedi traditions. "Quintas" refers to the five Dark Jedi who journeyed to Vorash, while the nickname "Quinn" was a purposeful reference to Quinn Mallory, the protagonist of one of Butler's favorite science fiction television series ("before it turned to crap later"), Sliders. * The artwork depicting Zirik Pahl was drawn by Tom Hodges before Hodges became an official Star Wars artist. Hodges provided some original artwork for the Rayzur's Edge Audio Guidebook, while also allowing the use of some of his other artwork to supplement the guidebook. External Links [http://www.starwarsfanworks.com/dreamscape.html Anthology: Dreamscape at Star Wars Fanworks] Category:Characters